Daily Times

Police on Thursday released an accused in the Lahore motorway gang rape case, Waqarul Hasan Shah, after declaring him as not guilty.

He was in the custody of the Lahore police authorities for the past 17 days after he surrendered before them claiming innocence.

The police on the indication of Waqarul Hasan arrested the accused Shafqat Ali for his alleged involvement in the gang rape case. “We have released Waqar ul Hasan after proved that he has no role in the motorway case,” they said.

The prime suspect in Lahore Motorway gang rape case on September 13 surrendered himself at the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Police Station in Model Town.

In his initial statement, the accused refused his involvement in the incident and added that he has nothing to do with the incident.

The Punjab police, via a tweet, announced prize money of Rs 2.5 million for credible information to spot the suspects in the Lahore Motorway link-road incident.

On the indication of Waqarul Hasan during the probe, the police were able to arrest the main accused Shafqat Ali.

Announcing the arrests on September 14, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar confirmed that police have arrested a suspect named Shafqat in the Lahore motorway gang-rape case, who has also under interrogation confessed to have committed the crime.

Taking to Twitter, the chief minister said that the DNA of suspect Shafqat had matched with the samples collected from the crime scene.

“Shafqat has confessed his involvement in the motorway gang-rape case,” said Buzdar and added that efforts were being made to arrest another prime suspect Abid Ali.

However, since then the prime suspect Abid Malhi is yet to be arrested after police at least failed three times in its bid to arrest him from various locations across the province.

Meanwhile, Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursdays conducted hearing on a case pertaining to form judicial commission for probe into motorway rape case. During the hearing, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan asked who will pay the blood money if anybody gets murdered on state land over which, the government lawyer said that he will present a complete report on this matter in next hearing.

Previously, LHC had ordered the investigation authorities to arrest suspects involved in raping and looting a woman in front of her children on motorway near Gujjarpura as early as possible.

LHC CJ had also sought inquiry report, copy of show-cause notice to Inspector General of Punjab Inam Ghani by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, record of security arrangements and notification regarding formation of committee for probe into the incident.

Earlier, a petition had been filed in the LHC to form a judicial commission in the case in which the Punjab government, CM Sardar Usman Buzdar, IGP Inam Ghani and Lahore CCPO Umar Sheikh were made parties. The plaintiff took the stance that Punjab police had completely failed in providing protection to the people.

Crime ratio increased due to the negligence and non-professional behavior of the police, the petitioner said while requesting the court to form a judicial commission.

On September 9, 2020, mother of two children was looted and raped at gunpoint on motorway near Gujjarpura area of the Punjab province.

The woman was reportedly travelling in a car along with her two children when some unknown accused overpowered her. After raping and robbing the victim of valuables and cash, the suspects escaped from the scene.

On receipt of the information, the police reached the spot and shifted the woman to a hospital.